Trying to resolve a problem with my 76-year-old mother’s antique Windows Vista machine. I’m attempting to do this via Teamviewer remote control, since I’m 700 miles away from her (and she’s relatively helpless as far as computers go). This problem cropped up almost immediately after she re-registered her free version of Avast and it subsequently updated to Avast 2016.
Here are the symptoms:
Can’t connect to Avast for any kind of updates (engine, virus or program).
Avast SecureLine: Disconnected.
Can’t download anything from the Avast website - or any other antivirus website. Most other non-antivirus websites still seem to load just fine (Yahoo, Google, Facebook, etc.).
Can’t open/save email attachments (although she can still send/receive email via her Windows Mail).
These symptoms led me to believe it might possibly be the Downadup/Conficker worm. So I’ve tried various supposed ‘fixes’ for that particular infection, including:
Avast full scan (showed no infections)
Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool (showed clean computer with no malicious software)
Sophos Virus Removal Tool (clean, nothing to remove)
F-Downadup.exe
EConfickerRemover (nothing found)
I’ve also read that this sort of problem could be fixed by clearing the DNS cache. Tried that to no avail.
I’d be ever so grateful if someone had other suggestions I could try. Thanks in advance.
Thanks. I’ll get to work on it. And I totally understand about any xmas delays.
Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention that I DID run Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and it didn’t find anything, either. Also, whatever is blocking the computer would not allow Malwarebytes to update the database. So I just ran a scan using the existing database and it drew a blank. But I’ll run it again…
This is a very powerful tool that should be used only if advised by Malware Analyst. Do not run ComboFix on your own!
Referring to this instruction, please download ComboFix by sUBs and save it to your desktop.
Temporary disable your AntiVirus and AntiSpyware protection - instructions here.
I didn’t think so. But what else could be stopping it from connecting to and/or downloading from ONLY antivirus sites (other websites no problem)? Or disabling saving of email attachments. Why can’t it connect to or get updates from Avast? Any ideas?
Done. No change. Still cannot connect to Avast SecureLine. Still cannot connect to any Avast updates. Still cannot connect to or download from any other antivirus-type websites (either).
Still have no problem connecting to non-antivirus websites (Yahoo, Google, Facebook, etc.). Still have no problem sending/receiving email with Windows Mail (although attachments still cannot be saved).
Firewall? Sandbox? If not a virus, what could be blocking JUST those websites??? And why would this problem pop up seemingly out of the blue, with no changes to the computer - EXCEPT (coincidentally, right after) registering/updating Avast?
Is there some setting on Avast 2016 that might cause this?